Spessart Ramp

The Spessart Ramp, together with the adjoining Schwarzkopf tunnel had been double-tracked in 1854, whilst the remaining parts of the line between Kahl am Main and Würzburg were not doubled until the 1890s.

In 1914 the legendary 0-8-8-0 Mallet locomotives, the Bavarian Gt 2x4/4s (later DRG Class 96) arrived as banking engines for the Spessart Ramp.

In August 2006 the German Federal Transport Ministry gave financial approval for the construction of a new, less steep, double-tracked line with 4 tunnels.

From 15 to 19 June 2017, the new Spessart Ramp was linked to the existing network as part of a total blockage and the new Heigenbrücken breakpoint was put into operation.

[5] Due to a remaining 760 m long ramp with a gradient of 20 ‰ in the eastern station entrance of Laufach, multiple freight trains stuck that did not carry a second locomotive.

Map of the Spessart Ramp with the current and former routing
Push engine 151 032-0 at Laufach station
Signal Ts 1 (cut helper engine off) in a rare light signal version at the old Spessart Ramp near the Schwarzkopf Tunnel